Gas-engine.



Patented July 4, |899.

W. S. SHARPNECK.

GAS ENGINE.

(Application filed Aug 24, i898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l,

(No Model.)

No. 628,123. Patented July 4, |899. W. S. SHARPNECK.

GAS ENGINE.

(Application lad Aug v24, 189B.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM S. SI-IARPNECK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TVVO-TI-IIRDSTO JOHN D. ROSS AND EVERETT WV. BROOKS, OF SAME PLACE.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent NO. 528,123, dated July 4,1899.

Application filed August 24, 1898. Serial No. 689,430. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. SHAEPNECK, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement inGas-Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings.

This improvement is on the same principle as the'engine shown in myapplication filed August 6, 1898, having the Serial No. 688,381.` Inthat engine the cylinderis stationary, and the piston rocks or partiallyrotates during the reciprocating motion of the latter.

In the present invention the cylinder is made to rock or partiallyrotate, while the piston has only the usual reciprocating motion.

The invention therefore consists, mainly, in the combination,withareciprocating piston, of a rocking or partially-rotating cylinder andin minor combinations and arrangement of parts whereby the main featureof my invention is carried out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of an Vengineconstructed according to my improvement represented with parts brokenaway. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is an end viewof the same.Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are cross-sections of the cylinder and piston indifferent positions.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by numerals, 1 indicatesthe hollow base, having pillow-blocks 2, in which is mounted thecrank-shaft 3, carrying the fly-wheels 4 and having a wrist-pin 5, towhich are connected the main pitman 6 and a vertical pitman 7, thelatter being pivotally connected with one end of a lever 8, whoseopposite end is connected to the lower end of a link 9, the upper end ofwhich is pivoted to ears 10, projecting from the cylinder 11, whichinstead of being stationary, as usual, is mounted in a sleeve or bearing12, cast or otherwise formed on the top of the base 1.

The cylinder 11 has a iiange 1l', cast integral therewith, and aseparate ring 11" on the right-hand end of the bearing 12, which isfastened to the cylinder by bolts or any other suitable fasteningdevice, by which means the cylinder is prevented from moving endwise,although easily rocked by means of the pit- 13 and 13', and aninlet-port 15, through which the gas and air are taken from any suitablesource of supply. is shown as one means of supplying the necessarycharge, but other means may be employed.

In the cylinder works a hollow piston 17, connectedin the ordinarymanner to the pitman 6 and having a port 17', which extends far enougharound the piston to register with both ports 13 and 13. This piston hasa diaphragm 20, in which is screwed'v or otherwise secured achisel-pointed contact-piece 21.

At 22 is shown a cyl-indrical block or iiller secured centrally in thecylinder by the cap 23, which is boltedY to the cylinder, as shown.Through this filler runs one part of the electric conductor 24, which isproperlyinsulated by its covering 25 and terminates in a spiral spring26, whose outer'extremity'is bent so as to be parallel with the axis ofthe cylinder to from a contact-point, which will at the proper timescoact with the contact-piece 21 when the engine is in motion.

The operation is as follows: Supposing the engine is started to run inthe direction of the arrow, that the valve 14 is set to close port 13and open port 13, and that the explosion has taken place, driving thepiston and shaft in the proper direction until the port 17 has arrivedin line with the exhaust-port 14 of the cylinder, and that the latterport coacts with the port 13, as shown in Fig. 4, when the burned chargeis exhausted and the pressure brought down to the atmosphere. As thepiston continues its travel, the exhaust-port is immediately closed bythe port 17 passing beyond the port 13, and a vacuum is formed whichwill draw in the charge' of air and gas when the port 17 arrives in linewith the inlet-port 15 (see Fig. 5) and the crank is passing over thecenter. As the rpiston starts back the charge is being compressed, andas the cylinder is rocked or partially turned by A iiexible tube 16 IOOmeans of the pitman 7, lever 8, and link 9 to the position shown in Fig.G the exhaust-port is closed on the return stroke and the charge doesnot escape, but it is still held and compressed. As the piston continuesits motion, the contacts touch, thus making the circuit complete, and asthe crank passes over the center the contacts separate and the circuitis broken and a spark formed, which makes the explosion, when theoperation above described is repeated. ASuppose the engine is turned torun in the opposite direction. The valve 14 is set to close port 13 andopen port 13', as shown in Fig. 7. The engine will nowT run in theopposite direction, because the port 13' will be closed by the movementof the cylinder and the port 13 is closed by the valve 14,` as thecharge is being driven toward the ignition-point, and the port 18 is notopened by the movement of the cylinder until after the charge has beenexploded.

From the above it will be seen that I have invented a reversiblegas-engine on the same principle as that shown in my aforesaidapplication with a piston having the ordinary reciprocating motion only,thus avoiding the side pressure on the collars on the wrist-pin, whichmay be found objectionable in very vpowerful engines made on thatprinciple.

I do not limit myself to the precise construction shown, as it maybevaried in many ways without departing from the spi rit of my invention.

Parts of the engine here shown are illustrated and claimed in myaforesaid application, and no claim is therefore made for them herein.

What I claim as new is- 1. The combination in an engine, of areciprocating piston, a cylinder rocking around said piston in asuitable bearing, an inlet for the motive iiuid in said cylinder, and aninlet in said bearing communicating With said inlet in the cylinder,substantially as described.

2. The combination in an engine of a cylinder, a bearing for the same, apiston Working in said cylinder, and mechanism substantially asdescribed for rocking said cylinder around said piston, as set forth.

3. The combination in an engineof a rocking cylinder having an inlet andan exhaust port, a bearing surrounding the body of said cylinder havingan exhaust-port registering with the exhaust-port in the cylinder and apiston Working in said cylinder, substantially as described.

4. The combination in an engi-ne of a rocking cylinder having an inletand an exhaust port, a bearing for said cylinder having an exhaust-portregistering with the exhaustport in the cylinder, and a piston workingin said cylinder having a port also registering with the exhaust-port inthe cylinder, substantially as described.

5. The combination in an engine of a rocking cylinder, having an inletand an exhaust port, a bearing for said cylinder having twoexhaust-ports registering at appropriate times with the exhaust-port inthe cylinder; and a piston workin g in the cylinder, having a portcoacting with the exhaust-port in the cylinder in either of itspositions, substantially as described.

6. The combination in an engi-ne, of a rocking cylinder having an inletand an exhaust port, Aa bearing for said cylinder having twoexhaust-ports registering atappropriate times with the exhaust-port inthe cylinder, a valve arranged to open one portin the bearing when theother is closed, and a piston working in said cylinder having a portcoacting with the exhaust-port in the cylinder in either of itspositions, substantially as described.

7. The combination in an engine, of a cylinder, a bearing for the samein which the cylinder rocks, a piston travelingin said cylinder, acrank-shaft operated by said piston, a pitman connected to thecrank-shaft, a lever having one end pivoted to said pitman, and a linkhaving one end connected to the lever and the other to the cylinder,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses, this 22d day of August, 1898.

VILLIAM S. SHARPNECK.

Witnesses;

JAS. C. F. BRADLEY, CHARLES F. MoRsE.

